Support for sheet-metal wagon-bodies while being riveted



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. VAN WAGENEN. SUPPORT FOR. SHEET METAL WAGON BODIES WHILE BEING RIVETED.

No. 431,826. Patented July 8, 1890.

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WITNESSES:

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. VAN WAGBNEN. SUPPORT FOR SHEET METAL WAGON BODIES WHILE BEING RIVBTED No. 481,826. Patented July 8, 1890.

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(No Model.) G. VAN WAGBNEN- 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

ATTORNEY.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 4.

G. VAN'WAGENEN. SUPPORT FOR SHBETMETAL WAGON BODIES WHILE BEING RIVBTED No. 431,826. Patented July 8, Z1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

GEORGE VAN WVAGENEN, OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEO. VAN WAGENEN COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

SUPPORT FOR SHEET-METAL WAGON-BODIES WHILE BEING RIVETED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,826, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed May 8, 1890. Serial No. 350,994. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE VAN WAGENEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the countyof NewYork and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Sheet-Metal WVagon-Bodies and other Receptacles during the Riveting of the Seams of Same, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in supports for sheet-metal wagon-bodies and other receptacles during the operation of riveting the seams of same, and particularly to a support for the sugar-wagon body described and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States granted to John Graves on the 30th day of October, 1888, and numbered 391,842; and the said invention consists in the adjustable structurehereinafter described, adapted to be fitted to wagon-bodies of difierent sizes, whereby the body may be suspended in suitable relation to ariveting-machine and moved toward or from said machine, or conveniently turned or rotated so as to successively bring the seam-flanges of the body between the jaws of the riveting-machine. The said wagonbody has four seams at the edges of its bottom and a seam at each of its four corners, making eight seams to be riveted, and it is obvious that the method of riveting these seams is a matter of considerable importance as affecting the cost of manufacturing the wagon.

It is the purpose of the present invention to reduce the expense of riveting the seams of the wagon-body to a minimum amount, to

within the wagon-body not being observable; Fig. 2, an enlarged top view of the wagonbody with the support therein; Fig. 3, a central vertical section of same on the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a section of same on the dotted line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

In the'drawings, A designates the head of the riveting-machine, and B the suspended wagon-body, consisting of the four sides and bottom, whose facing edges form outwardlyprojecting seams.

In the construction of the wagon-body the four sides and bottom are first formed and their facing edges perforated for the rivets, after which the sides and ends arebrought together to form the body and held temporarily by about two or three short bolts passing through said apertures at each seam. The body is then in condition to receive the support hereinafter described and be subjected to the riveting-machine. As each seam of the body is brought into line for the riveting-machine, the rivets are inserted in'to'theapertures of said seam, and then in succession passed between the jaws of said machine and headed. After all the seams of the body have been riveted, the temporary bolts previously holding the sides and bottom together are removed and replaced by rivets, thus completing the seaming of the body.

' Referring to the features within the wagonbody, 0 D designate two circular frames or rings, one adjacent to the bottom of the body and the other adjacent to the top thereof, and both connected together by the rods E, the ends of which pass through said circular frames or rings and are secured by nuts, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Upon the rods E is mounted the frame F, having at its center the bearing-aperture G and at its ends the half-sleeves I-I, encompassing and adapted to have a sliding movement on said rods toward or from the rings 0 D; The frame F is also provided with an internally-threaded aperture engaging the externally-threaded rod I, whose outer end is held in the plate J, secured to the ring D, and is squared so as to adapt it for rotation by means of a wrench K, when desired. It will be observed that upon the threaded rod or screw I being rotated the frame F will be caused to move on the rods E, and the purpose of this is to bring the bearing-aperture G to a point Where when inserted on the end of the sustaining-arm L it will be in line with the center of gravity of the wagon-body.

The object of the adj ustability of the frame F by means of the screw I is to adapt the support for wagon-bodies differing in weight, depth, and other circumstances, it being convenient by means of the screw I to always shift the frame F so as to bring the bearingaperture Ginto line with the center of gravity of thebody.

The ring or frame 0 is provided with the series of apertures M and set-screws N, by means of which the slotted arms P may be adjusted and held in position. The form and arrangement of the slotted arms P are shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, in which it will be observed that they radiate from the ring 0, and at their outer ends firmly impinge the corners of the body. The arms P, beingrendered adjustable by means of their slots, are adapted for different sizes and shapes of bodies. The series of apertures M in the ring C permit a lateral adjustment of the arms P, so as to further adapt them for varying shapes and sizes of bodies.

In the ring 0 are provided the screws Q, which, being threaded, are adjustable, and their purpose is to afford stops which will come into contact with the bottom of the body, as shown in Fig. 3.

The outer ring or frame D is provided with the radial bars R, having apertures S, as shown in Fig. 2, and carrying the extensible sections T, having hook-shaped ends, (see Fig. 3,) which are adapted to grasp the upper edges of the body. The sections T are slotted longitudinally, and may be held in any desired position, so as to grasp bodies varying in size, by means of the set-screws V and apertures S. The nuts for the screws V are provided with handles, as shown in Figs. 2

. and 3, so as to render it convenient to adjust and lock the sections T.

The arms P and sections T being adjustable, no difticulty will be found in applying the support to wagon-bodies varying in dimensions, and since the frame F, carrying the bearing-apertures G, is also adjustable, the wagon-body may be centrally suspended on the arm L. The arm L is suspended from the differential pulleys and chain IV, the upper pulley being carried by the wheel X, which is adapted to travel on the crane Y toward or from the riveting-machine under the action of the chain Z, which will be operated by the attendant, according as it may be desired to draw'the wagon-body close to the jaws of the riveting-machine or remove it therefrom. The arm L is also made angular, so as to form substantially three sides of an oblong, the purpose of this form of arm being to enable the attendant to freely rotate the wagon-body, so as to bring the different seams thereof to the jaws of the riveting-machine.

The support having been inserted into the wagon-body, and the arms P extended to bear against the corners of the wagon-body and the sections T extended to grasp the upper edges of the said body, the arm L is lowered and its lower hook-shaped end inserted in the bearing-aperture G, whereupon by means of the difierential pulleys the Wagon-body is elevated to the jaws of the riveting-machine and the operation of riveting the seams proceeded with, the proper inclination being given to the body by the adjustment of the frame F to bring the seams on a horizontal line between said jaws. The wagon-body having been once elevated need not be lowered to the floor again until all of the seams have been riveted. In transferring the support from one wagon-body to another it will only be necessary to loosen two of the sections T, adjacent to each other, when the support may be lifted from the one body and 111- serted in the other.

The method of adjusting the arms P and sections T for different sizes of wagon-bodies will be apparent, and no difficulty will be found in adapting the support for the purposes for which it was invented.

While I have described the invention for use in connection with a wagon-body,it must be understood that I do not confine the same to such use, since whether the body is for a wagon or to constitute a receptacle or tank is immaterial as regards the present invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The support consisting of the inner and outer frames connected by rods and having extensible arms to engage the body, combined with the frame containing the bearing-aperture and supported on said rods between the first-mentioned frames, substantially as set forth.

2. The support consisting of the inner and outer frames connected by rods and having extensible arms to engage the body, combined with the frame containing the bearing-aperture and adapted to move on said rods, and the adjusting-screw for regulating the position of said bearing-aperture, substantially as set forth.

3. The support consisting of the inner frame having arms to engage the walls of the body, the outer frame having the extensible arms with hook-shaped ends to engage said body, and the rods connecting said frames, combined with the sliding frame on said rods, said frame having the bearing-aperture and the screw for adjusting the position of said sliding frame, substantially as set forth.

4.. The frame having the bearing-aperture and supported on guide-rods within the body, adjusting the position of said frame on said combined with the bent arm entering said rods, substantially as set forth.

aperture at itslower end and at its upper end Signed at New York, in the county of New connected with the pulleys, substantially as York and State of New York, this 6th day 5 set forth. of May, A. D. 1890.

5. The frame haVin the bearin =aperture T J and supported on guide-rods withili the body, GEORGE VAL WAGENEN' combined with the bent arm entering said Witnesses: aperture at its lower end and at its upper end CHAS. O. GILL, [0 connected with the pulleys, and the screw for E. D. MILLER. 

